The Art of DragonTaming
by PotentialTempest
Summary: Charlie comes out to his family but tries to hide the identity of his boyfriend. EWE; CW/DM slash; Weasley family gen.


**Author's Note:** This is my first slashfic, so be gentle! I just couldn't get these two out of my head.

**Disclaimer:** JK Rowling owns the sandbox, but she very generously lets me play in it sometimes.

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><p>"Boys?" Molly Weasley echoed at her son. "I'm not certain I understand, son," she said hesitatingly.<p>

"I think he means men, Mum," Ginny piped up from the armchair she was sprawled across.

"Or at least you hope he means men," George added, grinning at Ginny, who stuck her tongue out at him.

Charlie looked sternly at his younger siblings, who only laughed in return. "Yes, men. Of course."

"He says hastily, now that he fears our judgment," George narrated mockingly. Ginny prodded him with her wand to get him to be quiet, and he hissed at the shock he received from it. "Bloody bint." He said it softly enough that neither of their parents heard. She narrowed her eyes and brandished her wand at him in warning.

"Is that what you mean, Charlie?" Ron asked as if he were seriously concerned his brother fancied boys over men.

"Yes, everyone. Men. Full-grown, broad-shouldered, tall, blonde, grey-eyed men," Charlie clarified in an exasperated manner.

"You and me both," Ginny muttered, grinning as George said, "Feels a bit like he's hinting at something, doesn't it?"

"I can't quite figure what it is," Ron added.

"I think Ronnie might actually be confused over it," George stage-whispered to Ginny, who shrugged in response.

"He can't help it if G-squared is four times as smart as he is. It's math. There's no refuting it," she replied quietly, smiling rather sweetly at Ron.

"Stop calling yourselves that, you lot!" Ron hissed at them. "It makes no sense!" George patted him on the head condescendingly in response, while Percy just shook his head at all of them, pursing his lips as he contemplated the chessboard in front of him.

Molly, on the other hand, completely ignored her other children, focusing on Charlie. "Oh," she said contemplatively. Everyone held their breath. "Well, thank heavens! I thought you were bound and determined to die alone! Now be sure to bring your nice fellow over for Sunday dinner, dear." She patted his cheek fondly as she bustled past him into the kitchen. Arthur clapped him on the shoulder, following his wife.

"Er, Mum," he called at her retreating back. "There's not really one fellow, per se, to invite to family dinner."

She paused for a long moment before turning around to face him once more. "Do you mean to tell me that you're seeing multiple gentlemen?" Molly asked sharply. "I did not raise you to behave like that!" Her face grew redder as she spoke.

"Oi, Charlie, are you a swinger?" George hollered from his corner, where he was spectating the chess game between Ron and Percy.

"No," Charlie said, turning a red to match his mother. "I'm not seeing anyone right now is all I mean."

"Yes, he just has a _very specific_ type," Ginny said slyly, smirking. "You know, I think I might know someone who matches that description. Let me get back to you on that."

"Maybe one of Fleur's cousins," Bill pitched in helpfully from the couch where he was twiddling with the letter he had received from his wife, who was on holiday in France.

Ginny turned her wand between her fingers lackadaisically, shooting out silver and green sparks. "I don't think that's it. Hmm…"

"What are you, some kind of Slytherin lover?" Ron griped, distracted from his game by the colour of her sparks.

"Better a swinger than a Slytherin lover, Gin," George snickered.

She ignored George, instead replying to Ron. "No, not me," she murmured, smiling secretively, but her implications where drowned out by Charlie.

"I am not a swinger," he said firmly, determinedly avoiding looking at his sister.

Arthur and Molly looked at each other and then back at their second son before turning away. "Yes, well, tell him he's welcome to come anyway," Arthur tossed over his shoulder.

Charlie sighed.

When all of their siblings returned to their respective activities, Ginny finally put her wand back in its holster and hopped up. "Come on, big brother, I can finally give you your birthday present!"

He followed her dutifully but said, "Gin, you've seen me at least a dozen times since December, why couldn't you have given it to me any of those times?"

Ginny looked back at Charlie, raising an eyebrow. "Because you didn't fancy blokes then. It would have been a bit of awkward," she said matter-of-factly as he stepped into her room and closed the door behind them.

Charlie looked around him at the posters covering the walls of her childhood room. He furrowed his brow in perplexity. "Ginny, don't you think it rather odd for an international Quidditch superstar like yourself to have posters of other contemporary Quidditch players from opposing teams on her wall?"

She followed his eye and her smirk reappeared. "Well, I can't help it if Malfoy's so fit for a Falcon. Don't you agree?" she asked as she turned to rummage through her dresser drawer.

"I suppose so," he admitted reluctantly, taking the package from her hands.

Ginny grinned. "I'd hope you think so, otherwise that's a right shite gift. Go on then, open it," she added impatiently as he examined it from every angle.

Charlie opened it carefully to find a rather lascivious-looking Draco Malfoy winking at him, a strategically-placed broomstick the only thing covering him. _To Charlie, my #1 fan. Love, Draco_ had been scrawled across the cover.

"It's Playwitch: Quidditch edition," his sister told him, grinning. "I saw Malfoy's the centerfold and I had to get it. I mean, you've probably seen it already, but I figured I'd get you a signed copy you can frame and show to your adorable strawberry-blond children."

Charlie gaped at Ginny. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said stiffly.

She rolled her eyes but cheerfully said, "Okay. Whatever you want, Charlie. All I have to say is, good thing you have so much experience with dragons, because he is more like his namesake than he leads everyone to believe."

Her brother nodded in understanding. "He wants you to believe he's made of ice, but he burns so hot."

"_So_ hot," she agreed, smirking once again before sobering up momentarily. "Look, Charlie. I know you're used to getting burned, but I just want you to know – I'll cheerfully cut his beautiful body into bits if he hurts you. And trust me – I know how to make it look like an accident."

Looking at Ginny, her stance wide, her face serious, and her wand shooting sparks at the floor as if she were still a wayward teenager, he fully believed she would do it. Charlie smiled wryly. "I'll let him know."

When Charlie finally left the Burrow, his boyfriend was waiting for him in his kitchen with a glass of brandy. "How did it go?" Draco asked him, covering his anxiety with a smirk.

Charlie sipped at the liquor, laying his new magazine on the counter in front of him. "You signed this _four_ months ago and never told me that Ginny knew I was gay?"

"I didn't want to ruin the surprise," Draco protested, leaning forward to kiss Charlie lightly on the lips. "But now that you know, I can tell you – that's what brought me to the Harpies' practice in December. I wasn't spying for my team. She told me you were going to be there and, well, I've always had a thing for gingers. She said you were good with dragons."

"The big, scaly, flying beasts, I think she meant," Charlie said sardonically, pursing his lips.

"No, she meant the threateningly attractive ones," Draco shot back, smirking.

"And you thought you qualified?" Charlie teased, putting down his glass in order to pull the taller man closer. "Has anyone ever told you you're more than a bit full of yourself?"

"Would you rather I be full of you?" Draco asked archly, raising an elegant eyebrow.

Charlie snaked his arms around Draco's waist and said wistfully, "I can't believe I have Ginny to thank for this."

"Let's not talk about your sister just now, yeah?" Draco asked, pulling Charlie towards his bedroom. "Bit of a boner kill, really."

"I thought you liked gingers," Charlie joked, laughing at himself. "Besides, who else would be our surrogate mother?"

"Oh, I am not shagging your sister," Draco stated decisively.

"Damn right you're not," Charlie said, capturing Draco's lips in a real kiss. And they did not speak of Ginny for a very long time.


End file.
